{"id":86,"date":"2003-08-03T14:23:20","date_gmt":"2003-08-03T18:23:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/?p=86"},"modified":"2011-11-03T14:27:55","modified_gmt":"2011-11-03T18:27:55","slug":"issue-16-august-2003","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/2003\/08\/issue-16-august-2003\/","title":{"rendered":"Issue 16 – August 2003"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last month, J.S., an Assistant District Commissioner in Richmond, VA, had a problem: \u201c(Our) district has no clue as how to use commissioner service as it should be…Our District Executive and District Director (are) not happy with the performance of the DC, but they continue to let him bobble along. Our District\u2019s two other ADC’s agree with me that something needs to be done, but we don\u2019t know what to do.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I had replied, in part, \u201cDistrict Commissioners aren\u2019t elected; they\u2019re appointed by your District Chair, (and) agreed to and endorsed by your District Executive. This means that the two people you and your ADC friends need to speak with are these two folks\u2014your chair and your DE. They should help solve this problem, possibly by \u2018retiring\u2019 the current DC at the end of your council’s \u2018Scouting year\u2019.”<\/p>\n

In response to this, Rick Belford, a District Executive in Tucson, AZ, wrote: \u201cFirst of all, great column! In an earlier column, you stated, \u2018District Commissioners aren’t elected – they’re appointed by the District Chairman, agreed to and endorsed by your District Executive.\u2019 This isn’t quite correct. I quote from the District Nominating Committee Worksheet #33157D: \u2018The nominating committee, after consultation with the District Scout Executive, recommends a District Commissioner to the (council) Executive Board for appointment and commissioning. The District Commissioner is an elected member at large of the District.\u2019 So the District Commissioner is recommended to the council’s Executive Board for appointment\/commission by the District Nominating Committee. The DE is involved at the beginning of the process. And the District Commissioner is presented to the District on the slate of members at large for election in that category, which is separate and distinct from the appointment\/commissioning phase. I just wanted to clear up any misconceptions. Keep up the good work!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Rick\u2019s points are certainly accurate, but some \u201cseparation\u201d needs to be emphasized. The BSA booklet, THE DISTRICT, states that \u201cThe District Chairman, after consultation with the District Scout Executive, recommends a District Commissioner to the Executive Board (of the Council) for appointment and commissioning.\u201d So, the DC is, in fact, an appointed and not elected position. However, the \u201celected\u201d aspect comes into play as related to the District\u2019s members-at-large, who are, in fact, elected, and the person who will become the DC is elected as a district member-at-large concurrently with his or her DC commission.<\/p>\n

Wow! If this doesn\u2019t turn us all into \u201cPhiladelphia lawyers,\u201d I don\u2019t know what will! Ouch! This is starting to hurt my head!<\/p>\n

Dear Andy,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I was reading one of the questions and answers in your issue #10. The question was about the replacement of a Cubmaster that just was not getting the job done. The removal of a volunteer is not as easy as your answer described. In the case of the Cubmaster, only the Chartered Organization has the authority to appoint or remove a volunteer. We as volunteers can only make a case to the Chartered Organization for their review and determination about the outcome of the volunteer in question. This way, there\u2019s less of a chance for appeal by the volunteer\u2014which the volunteer has a right to do. In most cases, it would be better to move the volunteer to a job that he\/she might be better suited for. In a lot of cases, the volunteer\u2019s heart is in the right place, but he or she just isn\u2019t experienced or doesn\u2019t have the necessary training for the job. (Duane Betteen, East Grand Forks, MN)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

You make some excellent points, Duane, and I\u2019m happy to share them with our readers. But let\u2019s take a moment to revisit what I actually said… That it\u2019s the job of the Pack\u2019s committee and chair to provide a good Cubmaster for the Pack, and if they don’t have a good one, it’s their job to replace him. And, I went on to state that the very first thing that should be done is to get everybody to training! Now, there\u2019s no question that, in a \u201cperfect world,\u201d it\u2019s the chartered partner who\u2019s supposed to provide leadership for the Scouting units they sponsor. And maybe the CPs in East Grand Forks, Minnesota all do this. If so, congratulations. But, I think you and I might agree that many CPs are pretty clueless in this regard (I\u2019ve even run into some that didn\u2019t even know they were sponsoring a Pack or Troop!). So\u2014from a practical standpoint\u2014it does often fall to the committee to get the job done. And, since I\u2019m a practical sort of guy, I put the committee in the cross-hairs. (One \u201csecret\u201d reason I also did this was to keep the committee and Den Leaders from feeling powerless and simply throwing up their hands with the lament, \u201cNo one will do anything!\u201d …Commissionering is much about EMPOWERING!)<\/p>\n

Hi Andy,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m Skipper of a Sea Scout ship, and we\u2019re having a problem with our council. One of our youth members is earning the Quartermaster Award (our equivalent of Eagle) but the council won\u2019t give her the merit badges for Swimming or Lifesaving, even though she\u2019s completed all the requirements for these. What can we do? (Charlie J., Huntington, AL)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, Charlie, I\u2019d say you should try to relax and remember that merit badges are for Boy Scouts. Yes, I\u2019ve done my homework. And I see how, in order to earn the Sea Scout ranks leading up to and including Quartermaster, a Sea Scout needs to complete the requirements for some of the Boy Scout aquatics merit badges. But that\u2019s what it says: \u201ccomplete the requirements for…\u201d It doesn\u2019t say \u201cearn the merit badge for…\u201d And that\u2019s just what it means. Boy Scouts, not Sea Scouts or Explorers or Venturers (unless registered as Boy Scouts, too!), earn merit badges.<\/p>\n

Dear Andy,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the adults in my Troop says he\u2019s earned Eagle and bronze, gold, and silver palms. But he has 37 merit badges. Isn\u2019t he supposed to have, like, 51 for that many palms? (Sean V., Boy Scout, Scotch Plains, NJ)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Guess, what, Sean \u2013 You\u2019re right! To wear all three, he needs to have earned 5 for Bronze and then 10 more for Gold and then 15 more for the Silver palm. That\u2019s 51 (21+5+10+15=51). And, if he had actually earned 51 MBs beyond Eagle, he\u2019d probably wear two Silvers (15 MBs each). Here\u2019s what I\u2019m guessing happened \u2013 He earned 5 MBs for the Bronze palm, then he earned another 5 for the Gold, and then 5 more for Silver but forgot (or wasn\u2019t told, or never read it in his Handbook) that each successive palm REPLACES the one before it, until you earn more than 15 beyond Eagle, and then the cycle starts again \u2013 20\u2019s a silver and a bronze, 25\u2019s a silver and a gold, and so on. So, he\u2019s been living with this mistake for a whole bunch of years, and it\u2019s probably not worth trying to point this out to him. Just know that you are absolutely right!<\/p>\n

Dear Andy,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Our Pack is a mess! Here we are, 65 years old and in deep trouble. Our Cubmaster seems to have this attitude problem \u2013 He doesn\u2019t seem to care if the Cubs get anything out of Pack Night; he just wants it over in 30 to 45 minutes, tops. His idea of a meeting program is go to a movie or go rollerblading. He doesn\u2019t go to Roundtables, and doesn\u2019t communicate with any of the Den Leaders or committee. He takes no interest in rechartering; he \u201ccouldn\u2019t care less\u201d \u2013 and those are his words! The committee chair is shared between a husband and wife, and neither of them is more than half-trained. I\u2019m a trainer myself, and I can\u2019t get them to finish up! Help! (Alice M., DL, Holmdel, NJ)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

At first I thought you had a \u201cCubmaster problem,\u201d Alice. But there\u2019s a lot more to fix than just one adult, and that\u2019s more than I can advise you on here\u2013unless I write a book! You need Commissioner help, fast! Make that call! Meanwhile, here are a few things you can start doing for yourself right away. First, since you\u2019re a trainer, get your other Den Leaders trained (informally, if necessary) so they start planning real<\/span> Pack meetings \u2013 complete with theme, skits, songs, awards, and so on. If the Cubmaster doesn\u2019t \u201clike\u201d the new meeting formats, maybe he\u2019ll resign and clear the way for a decent replacement! Then, try to get that couple chairing the committee to realize that \u201cco-\u201d anything<\/em> just doesn\u2019t work! One or the other needs to step up to the plate, but not both! But Pack meetings are the most important. Get those fixed, and I\u2019ll bet a lot of the other stuff will start dropping into place. Good luck!<\/p>\n

Dear Andy,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always understood that a Scouting unit leader could administer the swim test (such as by visiting a community pool with a lifeguard on duty and using an empty lane) to the Scouts in his unit in preparation for a unit swim later. Someone told me recently, though, that the swim test administrator himself must possess a lifeguard certificate. I re-read the Guide to Safe Scouting, and it doesn’t establish any requirements for a swim test administrator. What’s your take? Thanks! (John Inman, Montgomery County, Maryland)
\n<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u2019re right on the money, John. There\u2019s no “certification” required of the person administering the basic swim test for either Second Class or First Class rank (which correspond, of course, to the “beginner” and “swimmer” classifications). And here’s more evidence… First, the current BOY SCOUT REQUIREMENTS book is silent on any special requirements or credentials for the person who qualifies the Scout for the swimming-related requirements. Plus, in the current BOY SCOUT HANDBOOK, the “initials” blocks for the same requirements (see pages 440-443) ask for those of the Scoutmaster or similar unit leader and not for anyone beyond this, and there are no asterisks stipulating some special credential necessary. These points not withstanding, the idea of having a qualified lifeguard standing by during the in-water testing is certainly the way to go (when it comes to water, “common sense” just ain’t enough\u2014you need GOOD sense!). Happy swimming!<\/p>\n

MERIT BADGES<\/h2>\n

I\u2019ve been getting a bunch of questions about Merit Badges lately, so I thought this would be a good time to lay out a bunch of them and maybe clear the air on some points that can often go awry…<\/p>\n

– Can a requirement can be changed if, in the judgment of a qualified counselor, an enhancement to the basic skill is more practical or a better learning experience?<\/p>\n

Nope! The requirement is just that \u2013 no changes. Period.<\/p>\n

– What about Scouts with handicaps? Can\u2019t requirements be changed when there\u2019s a physical handicap that would keep him from completing the requirements as stated.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Nope! The requirements can\u2019t be changed. BUT, there are alternatives \u2013 Check out the BSA REQUIREMENTS book.<\/p>\n

– Can a Merit Badge Counselor counsel a relative (brother, cousin, son)?<\/p>\n

Yup! No restrictions on this at all!<\/p>\n

– How long is a \u201cpartial\u201d good for?<\/p>\n

Until the Scout is 18 years old.<\/p>\n

– What about tasks completed before the Scoutmaster\u2019s signed the \u201cblue card\u201d? Can these be accepted so long as they match the Merit Badge\u2019s requirements?<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the order for earning a Merit Badge: (1) the Scout picks a subject, (2) he gets a signed MB Application (Blue Card) from his Scoutmaster, (3) he calls and then meets with a Counselor, (4) he begins fulfilling requirements. So, when working on requirements is 4th<\/sup> in the order of events, let\u2019s take a guess…<\/p>\n

-If a Scout has started a Merit Badge under pre-2003 requirements, can he complete it using the \u201cold\u201d requirements?<\/p>\n

Nope! Current requirements complete the badge. (Same for rank requirements, by the way.)<\/p>\n

– If a Merit Badge Counselor wants to teaching skills beyond the actual requirements, is this permissible so long as these aren\u2019t included as \u201cadditional\u201d requirements?<\/p>\n

Absolutely! In fact, that\u2019s one of the key things anticipated about competent counselors, and it\u2019s also why the notion of \u201ccounseling everything\u2014just stay a page ahead of the Scouts\u201d doesn\u2019t really help anybody!<\/p>\n

– What about the notion of being known as a \u201ctough\u201d Counselor, so that one gets dedicated Scouts, willing to \u201cbust their buns\u201d on the badge?<\/p>\n

Very un-cool! Yeah, it can \u201cfeed the ego,\u201d but that\u2019s the wrong kind of ego for Scouting. Being known as fair, knowledgeable, thorough, honest, and fun goes a lot further!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Happy Scouting!<\/span><\/p>\n

Andy<\/span><\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Have a question or problem? Got an idea that will help others? Send an email to <\/em>AskAndyBSA@yahoo.com<\/a><\/span> (Include your town and state, please)<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(August 2003)<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last month, J.S., an Assistant District Commissioner in Richmond, VA, had a problem: \u201c(Our) district has no clue as how to use commissioner service as it should be…Our District Executive and District Director (are) not happy with the performance of the DC, but they continue to let him bobble along. Our District\u2019s two other ADC’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-13"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86\/revisions\/88"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}